Corfu spells out holiday hopes

Archimedes: November 2011

Corfu is confident that Greek Island holidays will remain popular next year despite the economic problems in Greece and the Eurozone.

Officials of Corfu's tourist department remained optimistic on figures for the Corfu holiday season 2012 after visiting the World Tourist Market held in London earlier this month.

This year Corfu has its own stand at the travel show and the mayor of Corfu Ioannis Trepeklis travelled to London to launch a Corfu holiday tourism brochure for 2012.

He said the brochure has received very positive comments and had been translated into seven languages.

Arrivals at airports on Corfu rose 14% in September compared to 2010 and Corfu has posted a 12% increase in visitors for the year so far despite a disappointing start to the season.

Corfu is also a favourite for British ex-pats now living on Corfu on either a seasonal or a permanent basIs. The figures have risen sharply recently.

In 2001 there were about 7,000 Britons registered with the British Consulate but 10 years later it has risen to 10,000, and, given that many don't register it is estimated that more than 15,000 Britons now live year-round on Corfu.

Budget airlines forecast more holidaymakers will be flying to Corfu next year. , Ryanair, the Irish low cost airlines have announced two new routes connecting Corfu to Bradford Airport in Leeds next year.